1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an application executing apparatus and an application execution method for controlling execution of computer programs stored in an external media.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there have been remarkable improvements in multifunctionality of image forming apparatuses and enhancement of their functions. Accordingly, image forming apparatuses can perform processing by using not only applications prestored in the apparatus body but also applications stored in a computer on a network or a storage medium.
Under such circumstances, there can be cases that an image forming apparatus is used for an application that is not originally assumed by an administrator. However, the administrator needs to prevent illegal uses of the apparatus; even when the apparatus is used by an application not prestored therein.
Under these circumstances, some techniques for preventing illegal uses of an image forming apparatus have been proposed. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-306170, initialization can be performed only when a hardware key is attached.
As another example of the techniques, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-110779 discloses a technique for referring to selection information indicating a place where an application is stored, thereby selectively executing a computer program stored in an image forming apparatus or an external storage medium. Accordingly, a necessary computer program can be selected and executed.
However, the techniques disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2001-306170 and 2004-110779 do not assume a case that a plurality of image forming apparatuses is installed, or that a storage medium storing a computer program is used by a plurality of image forming apparatuses.
Specifically, when the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-306170 is applied to a plurality of image forming apparatuses, it is conceivable to use a different hardware key for each image forming apparatus, or use a common hardware key for respective image forming apparatuses. Because such circumstances are not assumed in the patent application, there is a problem that, for example, it is difficult to execute a different application for each image forming apparatus by one storage medium.
Further, in the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-110779, when the same computer program is stored in different storage media, with which only setting being different, appropriate restrictions cannot be set for each of the same computer program in one image forming apparatus.